Burial vault



' March 20, 1928. 1,663,464

R. c. PLAGGMEER BURIAL VAULT Filed Nov. 50, 192'? v6/3 Z, i554/ 1 /a Patented lidar. 20, 1928.

vuntreu STATES PATENT oFFlcE.

ROBERT C. PLAGGMIER, OF TAYLOR, NORTH DAKOTA, ASSIGNOR TO NATIONAL SUR- VAULTCOMPANY, OF BSMARCK, NORTE DAKOTA, A CORPORATION.

BURIAL VAULT.

' Application filed November 30, 1927. Serial No. 236,69G

This invention relates to burial vaults and particularly to that type of burial vault having therein a sealed casket chamber and a sealed dead air chamber above the casket chamber for insulating the same.

It is the object of this invention to pro-` vide a new and improved seal in such a burial vault construction for the dead air insulating chamber'.

rllhis and other objects and advantages of the present invention will more fully appear from the following description made in connection with the accom anying drawings, wherein like reference c araeters refer to the same or similar parts throughout the various views, and in which,

F ig. 1 is a View taken chiefly in vertical section of the vault longitudinally thereof on the line 1-1 of Fig. 2;

F ig. 2 is a vertical transverse section of the vault taken on line 2 2 of Fig. 1, and

Fig. 3 is a View on an enlarged scale illustrating one corner of the vault as viewed in Fi 1.

Referring to the drawings, a substantially rectangular box 4 is provided, molded preferably from reinforced concrete and includ'- ing a bottom and side and end walls, the top of the box being open. The side and end walls of the box project straight upwardly from the bottom of the box for some little distance and are then slightly outwardly offset to form a continuous inwardly and upwardly projecting lower shoulder 5, whereupon the side and end walls-.againproject straight upwardly for some little distance and are then again slightly outwardly offset to form an upper inwardly and upwardly project-ing shoulder 6, whereupon the 4o walls are again extended vertically upwardly for a short distance andthe upper ends of the walls are downwardly and inwardly beveled to :form the beveled top edges 7. Above the upper shoulder 6, spiral reinforcements 8 are provided which are molded into the side and end walls fand project inwardly therefrom. Preferably three or more of the reinforcements 8 are provided \0n each of the end walls at spaced intervals thereon, while two reinforcements x `8` are, ,provided on each of the'side walls one adjacent' each end thereof.

` llnuse for a burial the box will be situf' ated withina grave such as the grave 9 so M' that the upper edges 7 of the side and end a walls will extend slightly above the level of the surface of the 'ground as indicated in the-drawings or Hush therewith. The box is then readyfor the reception of a casket such as the casket 10. rlhe casket is lowered into thebox so that the same rests on the bottom thereof. Slabs 11 are then lowered into the box andare of such size that they will fit and rest on the lower shoulder 5 to close the box above the casket 65 and to provide a casket chamber 12 defined by the bottom of the box, the portions of the side and end walls of the box between the bottom and the shoulder 5 and the bottom of the slabs 11. A layer 13 of molten concrete is then poured over the slabs 11 to completely cover the same and to provide an air tight and moisture proof seal for the casket chamber 12. Slabs 14 corresponding to the slabs 1l are then placed within the box to fit therein and rest upon the upper shoulder 6 and Vprovide a dead air insulating chamber 15 defined by the top of the layer of concrete 13, the side and end walls of the box between the layer 18\ and the slabs 1.4, and the bottoms of the slabs 14. The slabs 14 fit below reinforcements 8 and are inserted in the box by being slid outwardly from the center of the box beneath the various reinforcements 8. Above the upper slabs 14, an lupper layer 16 of molten concrete is placed, the said concrete completely covering the slabs 14 and being of suiicient depth to cover the reinforcements 8 and to extend even with or slightly above the inner sides of the beveled upper edges 7. lVhile the layer of concrete 16 is still in soft condition a cover slab 17 is placed over the top of the box to close the same. Cover slab 1 7 is provided with downwardly and` Yinwardly beveled end and side edges whichv fit against the beveled top edges 7 and are secured thereto by part of 'the cement formed in the layer 16. The bottom of the slab 16 is provided with a series of downwardly pro- 1.00 jecting spiral reinforcements 18 at spaced points thereon and the said reinforcements are adapted to project into the soft concrete layeri 1G and to bind the cover slab to 'the concrete. f The bottom of the cover slab 105 17 will rest directly onthe concrete layer 16. The cover slab maybe finished off in an attractive design and will preferably be provided with a projecting headstone portionl 19. The various surfaces formed on the top of the slab 17 will all be slightly downwardly and outwardly beveled so that the cover slab will provide drainage surfaces at all points. Also the side and end edges of the cover slab will project slightly beyond the outer top and side edges of the box 4 so that drain age of waterfrom the top'of the cover willtake place outwardly from the sides and ends of the box.

`With the present construction above the dead air chamber 15, an air tight and water proof seal is provided which will last indefinitely and will not be broken due to heaving of the ground from frost or other causes. Pressure exerted against the outer side. and end walls of a box'4 adjacent the level of the ground will be applied directly against the slabs 14, concrete layer 16 and the cover slab 17. Thesaid parts will all be effectively bound together and to the side and end walls of'the box by means of the layer 16S-and the reinforcements 8 and 18. A very rigid and heavy structure will thus be produced. The vault being closed at its upper end by the top slab 17, layer 16 and the slabs 14, there will be a heavy absorbing surface provided which will absorb the heat from the outer air to prevent the dead air chamber 15 from being effected thereby. The dead air chamber 15 will form an additional insulation between the casket chamber and the outside air. Accordingly, the casket cannot possibly be affected by outer air conditions and the corpse in the casket will keep indefinitely. `When the box 4 is molded, iron forms are preferably used which will afford a concrete surface impervious to air and water.

lt will, of course, be understood that vari-y ous changes may be made in the form, details, arrangement and proportions of the various parts without departing from the scope of the present invention, which, generally stated, consists in the matter shown and described and set forth in the appended claims.

llVhat is claimed is:

1. A burial vault having in combination,l

a box adapted to extend into the ground and have its top surface adjacent the surface of the ground, and having a casket chamber in its lowei` portion, a dead air chamber above said casket chamber and sealed therefrom, supporting means in said box at the top of said dead air chamber, formed members resting on said supporting means and closing the top of said dead air chamber,` a poured layer of concrete on said formed members and sealing the top of said dead air chamber, and a formed cover slab resting on the top of said box projecting downwardly somewhat therein and having members embedded therein which are also embedded in said poured layer, whereby an air-tightand moisture proof seal will be provided at the top 'of said dead airchamber anda heavy rigid construction provided at the top of said box.

2. A burial vault having in combination, a box adapted to extend into the ground and have its top surfaceadjacent the surface of the ground, and having a casket chamber in its lower portion, a dead air chamber above said casket chamber and sealed therefrom, supporting means in said box` at the top of said dead air chamber, formed .members resting on said supporting means and closing the top of said dead air chamber, a poured layer of concrete on said formed members and sealing the top of said dead air chamber, reinforcing means secured in and projecting inwardly from' the walls of said box and secured in'said poured layer, a heavy cover slab resting on top of said box and said poured layer having reinforcing means in the bottom thereof extending into said poured layer and said layer being set with the same therein, whereby said poured `layer is bound to said box and to said cover slab and an air tight and moisture proof seal is provided at the top of said dead air chamber and a heavy rigid construction provided at the top of said box.

ln testimony whereof ll aiiix my signature.

- nonna/r o. Palestrina. 

